MovieChat Forums > 12 Angry Men (1957) Discussion > How does this film hold up over time?

How does this film hold up over time?


This is one of the only movies in the imdb top 50 that I haven't seen. How well does it hold up to the years?

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IMDB ratings are skewed towards new movies and young viewers. Taking that into account, it is astonishing that 12 Angry Men is consistently in the Top 10. Heck, I wasn't even born when it was made.

The time has come for someone to put his foot down. And that foot is me.

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I think this is probably one of the most important films ever made. And it's timeless.
I think it should be shown in school to fifth or sixth graders.
Every single person in the US should see this film.

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It is my all time favorite film. I saw it first sometime in the 1960s. I loved it then, and I am just as fond of it now. What I like best are: (1) the very interesting and different characteristics of each juror; (2) the interactions between the jurors; and (3) the fascinating speeches of many of the jurors. I found Ed Begley, Jack Warden, and Lee J. Cobb to be hilarious.

The above factors are not really influenced by the passage of time. Yes, there would be more women and minorities on the jury now, but the types and differences in personalities would be similar. The clothes would be different, but the variations in clothes would be similar.

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It is a great film.
I have to admit that I laughed quite a few times, not because something was funny but because I kindof was able to anticipate the men's reactions to each other's, so familiar ...

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It ignores the test of time. Brilliant, just watched it.

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Better than 99% of movies of that time, and better than most of the Top 50 to be honest.

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This is my favorite drama. Lumet's directing is genius, as it's the only film I've seen that feels as if it isn't directed; it's as if he set cameras in the corners of the jury room and let the actors do what they want. That, of course, is certainly NOT the case, but it feels that way to me. I never grow tired of watching it- isn't that the true definition of a "classic?"

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